Georges Bizet (1838-1875):
Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre (Toreador Song)
(from Carmen) (1873-74; premiered in 1875)

Original Key/Recorded Key:  F Minor
Teach-Track begins:  2 mm. before voice enters
Accompaniment Track begins:  m. 1
Pianist:  Daniel Michalak


	The greatest danger in this aria, especially given the number of forte, sempre forte, and fortissimo markings in the voice part, is that of oversinging.  The history of recorded performances also reveals that, as with Carmen?s similarly character-defining habanera, there has been, over time, a growing tendency to ?milk? the aria by self-indulgently over-broadening the basic tempo.  And again like Carmen, Escamillo exudes a nearly superhuman self-confidence and sex appeal, but it is a confidence that persuades others by virtue of its matter-of-factness?it has no need to overplay its hand.  (This is not to deny the presence of swaggering bravado in Escamillo?s character, but merely to observe that he actually believes what he is singing at the moment; he is not secretly tortured by self-doubt and needing to reassure himself through added bluster.)  As a result, Escamillo?s singing should seem like an extension of his physical self: lithe and athletic rather than bluff and heavy-handed, and with a quality of being almost insouciantly tossed off (nothing should seem like hard work for him).   His primary goal in this aria is to entertain and impress his audience with his storytelling abilities, not to goad them into submission by sheer vocal force.

	On the subject of dynamics, there are two particular things to observe as scrupulously as possible.  The first is the all-important diminuendo on the word ?Ah!? leading into the ?Toreador!? refrains of the aria.  If such diminuendi are not your strong point, you are encouraged to give them extra attention, because the aria loses a great deal without this effect.  The other critical moment is the sudden mezzo forte at the start of the second verse (?tout d?un coup on fait silence?); without this contrast, his depiction of the crowd momentarily holding its collective breath cannot be conveyed.

	There exists a tradition (fortunately, not a firmly entrenched one) of ignoring the rest after the fermata at ?et frappe encore? and making a downward portamento?without a breath?into the subsequent phrase.  While undeniably tempting in a purely vocal sense, such a gesture is not only in questionable taste but also contradicts the sudden contrast Bizet intends between fortissimo and mezzo forte.  As already noted, what little dynamic contrast the aria contains should be taken full advantage of, in order to prevent the piece from seeming merely aggressive and bombastic.  

	Bizet?s rhythmic notation is remarkably precise and should observed carefully.  In particular, one must take care not to shorten eighth-note pickups (e.g., ?Senors, senors?; ?Le cirque est plein?) into sixteenth-notes?it is natural to do so unintentionally, because it allows one more time to breathe.  Likewise, be careful not to let the crisp dotted rhythms of the ?Toreador? refrains to sag and become triplets (but don?t overdo the miltary rhythm, either, or the music quickly loses its lilting, leggiero charm).

Normally we do not address pronounciation issues directly in these program notes, but in this case there is one fine point that should not be overloooked.  It is more important than ever in this particular aria to pronounce the word ?l?amour? (love) correctly--with a genuine closed ?oo? sound, and not like the Italian word for love, ?amor.?  This is because given the bullring context of the aria, there is a genuine possibility that such a mis-pronounciation can be heard as ?la mort? (death).  While it is equally plausible (if not moreso) to say of a toreador that death awaits him rather than love, to unintentionally say the former completely subverts the aria?s meaning.

	Finally, keep in mind that in all anthologized versions (and in this recording) the